Our conversion kits can be adapted to nearly any adult bicycle. If you already have a bicycle you may simply wish to purchase a kit and assemble it yourself. We can provide you with just one bicycle model (the Solar Bike Fixie) but can suggest some other models well suited to conversion. We have installed a lot of conversion kits and the best bicycles we have found so far for a balance of quality parts and price are some of the "Gekko" range (lower end), the "Fiamme" from the Australian company "Apollo" (mid range) and some of the Giant models (mid to high end). A great bike to ride electric or non-electric is our own design, the "Solar Bike Fixie". Please scroll to the bottom of this page to read some more information we have on selecting a good bike to install an electric kit on. The most important point is to have strong forks. Good steel is best, carbon fibre shouldn't be used.
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Our favourite bike to electrify of course is one we have designed ourselves and suits a specialised electric kit (read the fixie design story here and see more pictures of it and its components). This is a fixed wheel bicycle, it is a great looking bike and can be purchased and used with or without an electric kit. It has a medium/large frame with a flip-flop rear wheel - single fixed gear one side and a free wheel sprocket on the other side. The design is completely our own and has a reinforced frame and forks to suit the electric kit. The bike comes with both a flat bar and a retro set of handelbars, quality chain and sprockets, promax brakes, wide flange checker rims, velo seat and handle grips. This bicycle is very streamlined, funky and fast. With the electric kit all the deficits of a single gear are taken care of and this becomes a super commuting machine. It is extremely fast on flat ground and able to hill climb exceedingly well with electric assistance. This fixie can be purchased online through us, EZ Rider or from the Cottesloe Cycles shop (see dealers page for details). The bicycle sells for $650 and delivery Australia wide is an additional $120. The matching electric fixie kit can be purchased for $950, it employs a light weight high power density battery designed into the shape of a water bottle (see the fixi kit). The electric fixi can be bought as an assembled electric bike from Cottesloe Cycles or EZ Rider. |
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"Giant" have some good mid to high end bikes that we've converted nicely. These are the Cross City 3 & 4 (flat bar road bike) and the Cypress 4 (men's and lady's hybrid). Bear in mind that only the Cross City models are able to use the water bottle style battery. Please view the specifications of these models by going to Giant's website. Most bicycle shops around Australia will stock these models and it's likely if you ask they will also install a conversion kit for you for a small price. |
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| If you are looking for a geared bicycle that is ideally suited to the electric conversion kits then we strongly recommend you taking a look at the FIAMME 700c commuter. This is manufactured by the reputable Australian company Apollo and is on the high-end of the spectrum of bicycles worthy of electrifying. It has an excellent design and uses a high quality 24 speed Shimano gear system. For full specifications please visit the Apollo site by clicking here. This bicycle retails in many Australian bike shops for approximately $500. If you live in Perth and want to purchase this bicycle fully electrified then please contact Cottesloe Cycles. Cottesloe cycles are also able to professionally install the kit for you ($120). |
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If you live in Perth then you will likely find some bicycle shops that stock the Gekko range. These offer a balance of quality parts and low price. Most of their bicycle range retails for between $320 - $380. These can be purchased at GLEN PARKER CYCLES in Nedlands (125 Stirling HWY). There are mountain bicycles (26 inch rim) and hybrid bicycles (700c rim) available for ladies and men. All gearing is Shimano Tourney SIS INDEX. The hybrid bicycles are our preferred model for commuting on roads for distances over 10-20km. These bicycles have thinner tyres and larger rims than the mountain bikes so are considerably faster and smoother on the road. The increased efficiency of the bicycle will markedly increase your electric riding range. There are some images below of the bicycles for sale at Glen Parker Cycles that are suited to electrical conversion. In order, these are the men's and lady's hybrid (700c rim) and the men's and lady's mountain bikes (26" rim). |
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Any bicycle in the price range of approximately $350 - $700 is usually suitable for conversion. In general, you should aim for a good quality bicycle that is neither too cheap or expensive. Cheap bicycles will break down with the extra weight and strain and expensive bicycles are made to be light weight so are not ideal. The most important point to consider when choosing upon the bicycle to convert is ensuring that it has a suitable set of forks. The forks should be 10cm apart and have a dropout of 1cm for the axle to sit in. The wheel nuts are slightly bigger than usual so there should be no abnormal shaped forks. In our experience, about 19 out of 20 sets of forks can be used but there are some abnormal sets out there. Have a look at the question on the FAQ page about the torque bar and you will see a typical set of forks for which installation is very straight forward. It is highly recommended to have strong steel forks, especially when fitting a 350W or 500W kit. The high motor torque can result in the fork tips snapping off or wearing away if a soft aluminium alloy or carbon fibre forks are used. Steel or chromoly forks are best. A good test is to get a magnet and see if it sticks to your forks, the stickier the better. We've engineered some torque bars that are pieces of steel that wrap around the motor wheel axle and can be clamped to the fork itself; these prevent the motor torque wearing away at the fork gap and give you peace of mind that everything is safe. These come standard with kits and is very simple to install. If filing of the forks seems necessary to fit the motor axle in your current forks then be sure to use the torque bar or it could end in tragedy. Do not file in excess of 10 minutes or you'll seriously weaken the forks. If this is the case then you will need to get a new set of forks from a bike shop. Aim for chromoly. Mountain bikes generally have 26 inch rims while road or hybrid bikes generally have 700c rims, ensure that you match the correct kit to the rim size of the bike - this should be written on the side of your tyre. When using your electric bicycle you should ride with extra care, both towards the traffic and to your bicycle. You will be adding approximately 10 kg to the bicycle with the motor and battery combination so you have to be careful not to jump off gutters too quickly and slow down when riding over rough terrain. Traffic is always a problem but in a way you will be safer because you will not be dangerously overtaken nearly as often. However, you will also be riding at a reasonably faster average speed and cars do not expect this. Approach round-abouts with extra caution. |
